Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| また後で | mata ato de | |
| バイバイ | baibai | [ba̠iba̠i] (narrow) |
| じゃ | ja | [d͡ʑa̠] (narrow) |
| じゃあまたね | jā mata ne | |
| ではまた | dewa mata | [de̞ β̞a̠ ma̠ta̠] (narrow) |
| またね | mata ne | [ma̠ta̠ ne̞] (narrow) |
Use また後で specifically when you intend to see the person again later on the same day. For a more general or popular casual way to express seeing someone again soon, you can use またね.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase また後で is composed of mata (again), ato (later/after) and de (at/in).
Which one should you use?
じゃ is a shortened, colloquial version of では used to signal the end of a conversation. バイバイ is a casual loanword from English.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
バイバイ is an informal way to say bye bye, used primarily among friends and children. じゃ is a colloquial and informal way to say well or then. またね is a popular phrase used casually to express seeing someone again soon.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase またね, the particle ne at the end adds a friendly, seeking-agreement nuance similar to saying "see you, okay?"
How do you pronounce it?
mata ato de
Did you know?
- The phrase バイバイ has been part of the Japanese lexicon since at least the 1930s. This shows that English influence on casual greetings began much earlier than the post-war era.
- While バイバイ sounds identical to the English 'bye-bye', it is almost exclusively used by children or women in casual settings, and can sound oddly childish if used by a man in a professional environment.
- The word じゃ is not only a shortcut for 'well then' but also appears as a characteristic ending for elderly characters in fiction to sound like a grandfather or grandmother.
Examples in context
- じゃあ、また。Well, see you later.This sentence shows how to use じゃ.Tatoeba #8942279 by bunbuku, translation #39363 by CM
- じゃ、またねっ！I'll see you later.This sentence shows a use of じゃ.Tatoeba #692873 by arihato, translation #32706 by CK
- じゃあ、またね。See you later!This sentence shows the use of じゃ.Tatoeba #941192 by bunbuku, translation #360558 by Kazune
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hinari and Kenta are leaving a cafe to go to different shops.
- 陽葵 Himari私は本屋に行くね。Watashi wa hon-ya ni iku ne.I'm going to the bookstore.
- 健太 Kenta僕は服を見に行くよ。Boku wa fuku o mi ni iku yo.I'm going to look at some clothes.
- 陽葵 Himariじゃあ、また後でね！Jaa, mata ato de ne!Well, see you later!
- 健太 Kentaうん、また後で！Un, mata ato de!Yeah, see you later!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “see you later” translations and entries バイバイ, じゃ, ではまた, またね, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries じゃ, バイバイ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
